Watching Over You
by Alexiel15
Summary: After finding out Mick's true identity, both Mick and Beth try to cope with it.


Watching Over You

" _Please don't look at me."_

_The words left Mick St. John's lips in heartfelt plea, a last ditch effort to keep whatever was left of his identity hidden. But it was too late. She was too close, and there was nowhere left to hide. With a heart full of guilt and apprehension, he turned his head to meet her eyes. She inhaled sharply as her hand flew to her mouth. Her heartbeat, usually a slow, steady rhythm now fluttered anxiously as a spike of adrenaline coursed through her veins. What could she be thinking? What did she see as she stared into those pale eyes? A monster?_

"_What are you?" she asked weakly._

_That seemed to be the question of the hour. Since becoming a vampire, he had learned to subdue his desire for fresh blood, much to the annoyance of his friend, Josef. Josef. What would he say now? He never liked Mick's interest in protecting humans, especially Beth. Ever since she wrote that notorious article, he was convinced Mick's involvement would surely lead to disaster. Thanks to his cursed pride, he found himself in that very situation. _

_After an agonizing pause, he uttered the words that could change their relationship forever._

"_I'm a vampire." _

A bright white moon rose over the Los Angeles skyline, reflected in the sorrowful eyes of a man standing on the balcony of his apartment. Its silvery glow used to give him comfort and strength, but now it only reminded him of his eternal curse…and what he had lost because of it. He could still see her horrified expression as she stared into his bloodstained face, her intoxicating scent lingering in the doorway after she left. Every heart wrenching detail was magnified until he was sure it would overwhelm him. He grimaced. Although he had recovered from his physical ordeal hours ago, the emotional pain still remained. It felt as though he was going into withdrawal. Not from lack of blood, but from the other thing that kept him alive. Beth. Her smile. Her ambitious nature. He couldn't accept the possibility that he would never see her again. But there it was, staring him in the face. _Forget her _the vampire within him chided. _Now that she knows what you are, she'll never be yours. _

He was pacing now, rounding the narrow terrace like a restless tiger. He refused to believe that. Through years of discipline, he had taught himself to resist the taste of fresh blood, so he could never hurt her. He wouldn't. Somehow, someway, he had to make her see that. 

After hours of driving aimlessly around town, a still shaken Beth Turner returned to her apartment, unlocking the door with trembling hands. Thankfully, the comfortable space she shared with her boyfriend was empty. A quick note stamped to the refrigerator said that Josh was indeed away, called into an important case that would last until late that night. One on side, she was glad her boyfriend wasn't there to greet her, for she knew he would be hovering worriedly, asking her repeatedly what was wrong. On the other, however, the empty apartment carried an eerie silence, as though any moment a monster would emerge from the shadows and rip her to shreds. Once again, the terrifying images from that afternoon flooded her thoughts, and her breath quickened.

"_I'm a vampire."_

The fact seemed impossible, unfathomable, but it was true. Mick, the man she had come to know and admire, was really…what? A monster? A horrible fiend whose only purpose was to kill his victims before sucking them dry? She shivered. That couldn't be. Mick was a good man…or at least she thought he was. Was it all just a sick game to get her close to him? _If that's true_ an annoying little voice told her. _Then why did he save you all those years ago? And what about last week? Do you really think he would've let you die?_

She shook her head helplessly. This was all too much. She proceeded to shed her jacket and set her purse and keys on the table. Still in a daze, she trudged toward the bedroom. A shower. That's what she needed. A nice hot shower and after that, bed. Perhaps, after a good night's sleep, she would wake up to find this to be nothing but a dream.

A soft breeze caressed Mick's face, stirring his tangled brown locks. He stared into the night, trying to come up with an explanation, but none came. Either way you looked at it, Josef wouldn't take it well. His top priority was to keep their kind from being exposed, and he would do everything to make sure it stayed that way. If Josef had his way, Beth wouldn't live long enough to get the word out. What's more, he would scold Mick for being so careless. Even so, Mick needed his friend, someone who shared the same secret. Finally, he sighed.

"She knows."

Josef, patiently waiting for a response from his melancholy friend, strode forward.

"What?" he asked incredulously. "She…she _knows_?!"

Mick sighed again. He expected as much. "There was nothing I could do," he said calmly. "She followed me after we found Lee Jay. I had no choice."

Josef ran a hand swiftly across his forehead in agitation. "Well you could have locked the door, couldn't you? You could have come up with one of those clever lies, cause heaven knows you're good at it."

Losing his patience, Mick swung around to face him. "Yeah well you try playing host after you've been shot by a couple of silver bullets."

That derailed Josef, but only for a moment. "Silver?"

"Yeah. The man did his research. You know as well as I do that I needed blood the dissolve the poison. I didn't know she was behind me until it was too late. There was nowhere else to go. So yeah…" he trailed off, looking again into the moonlit night. "She knows."

Now it was Josef's turn to sigh. Clearly his friend was telling the truth, and was distraught over how things had unfolded. He was right. There was nothing that could be done. Separate methods aside, he decided to go along with it. He walked over and placed a hand on Mick's shoulder.

"Do you trust her?"

The question seemed unnecessary in Mick's ears. Of course he did. He felt that besides Josef, she would be the only other person he would turn to. If anything, she would see it from a reporter's point of view, minus the media coverage. So yes, he was confident she would keep quiet. Whether out of fear or loyalty, he wasn't sure. Either way, he had to find out…and he had to find out tonight.

Even as the hot water cascaded down her back, Beth felt little comfort. The images were still as fresh and new as if it had just happened. As a child, the traumatizing fight between Mick and Coralline haunted her. Now, as a rational adult, she had come to find those memories were more than just a nightmare. They were real. Mick was real, and he had saved her…twice. Now that she thought about it, his…secret _did _answer many of the questions surrounding the mystery that was Mick St. John. But with every question answered, a million more rose up to take its place. What was she to do now? Could she continue to see Mick, considering what he was?

Once again, the images came unbidden. The pouch of blood. The pale, fathomless eyes. Just the thought of the crimson liquid sent a mouthful of bile up her throat. She gagged, her eyes stinging with tears. Would this nightmare ever end? She turned off the water swiftly, wanting to get to bed more than anything. In the resounding silence, she grabbed the towel hanging from the rack and proceeded to dry herself. All was quiet, when suddenly something like a claw scratched at the door. Beth nearly jumped out of her skin, her heart thundering against her chest. But the soft meow following it told her there was nothing to fear. It was merely their cat, Salem, begging to be let in. As her breathing calmed, she opened the door, the animal quickly swirling around her legs. She laughed weakly, an odd sound to her ears. Nothing would harm her…. at least not tonight. Comforted by Salem's purring, she finished dressing and walked into the bedroom. It was dark, save for a shaft of moonlight coming from the pair of French doors. Cautiously, she opened them, allowing the sounds of the city to fill the room. She looked left and right, but the balcony was as vacant as it had always been. She sighed and climbed into bed, snuggling deep into the sheets. Now perhaps she could finally get some sleep.

But it was not to be. Instead she tossed and turned, her thoughts lost in the moments before.

She was back in that old cabin, a woman in flowing garments addressing a man she could only assume was her rescuer. Fearing for her life, she hid under a table, watching as the conversation turned violent. The woman, now bearing pearly-white fangs, lunged at him, throwing him against the wall. Enraged, the man transformed as well, growling ferociously. The two passed through shadows and light, biting and clawing at each other. Eventually the man won, stabbing the woman in the chest. But this time, as he turned to her, something changed. A monster stood before her, crimson blood glinting in the light.

"Come on," he coaxed, looking at her with savage eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She stayed frozen until he moved forward, trying to get a clean view of her neck. Before she could scream, his teeth pierced her flesh, and her world faded in a pool of blood…

Beth shot awake with a gasp. She was once again in her own bedroom, the sound of cars honking filling the empty space. Her eyes darted around the room, regaining her bearings. At once, she sensed another presence. She looked toward the open doors just as a shadow moved into view. The transparent curtains waved in the breeze, revealing the stranger. There, standing in the moonlight, was Mick.

Her first reaction wasn't what she expected. Her heart leapt up when she saw the young man, his handsome face thrown into shadow. He was back to his normal self, offering a small smile.

"Mick," she managed to whisper, confused once again when her heart jumped at the sound of his name. He stepped into the room, moving slowly so as not to frighten her.

"It's alright," he said softly. "It's just me."

She looked down for a moment. He was no longer the monster she had encountered earlier that day, but how long could that last?

"What," she stuttered, struggling to find the words. "What are you doing here?"

Mick took a breath and let it out slowly. The words he had rehearsed in his head had vanished, leaving an inadequate response.

"I felt I needed to explain myself," he told her. "I didn't have a chance before…before you left."

She blushed lightly, and was glad for the darkness. She did leave rather suddenly after finding out his secret, barely giving him a chance to rectify the situation. She still trembled slightly, but the remains of her nightmare began to fade as she stared into his calm brown eyes. There was trust there…and comfort. Overwhelmed with emotion, she swallowed a sob, but her eyes betrayed her, and Mick rushed toward her.

"Beth," he whispered anxiously. "Believe me when I say that I would never, ever hurt you. I wouldn't even dream of it."

Beth shook her head violently, the tears becoming harder to hide. She grasped the bedcovers with an iron grip, trying to maintain her composure. Confused, Mick knelt at the bed, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. He opened up his arms to her, and she eagerly accepted the offer. She sobbed openly now, burying her head against his chest, just as she had done those many years ago. Whatever he was, whatever uncertainties lie ahead, one thing was clear; she needed him, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Bewildered as he was, Mick held her closer, afraid she would vanish if he let go. Beth was the one thing that kept him balanced, the one thing that kept him sane. Without her, his eternal darkness would surely swallow him.

After a while, her sobs subsided, and he released his grip, once again gazing into her deep blue eyes. Only at the last minute did she realize she was still clutching his shirt. With a blush, she let go, her hand falling limply back to her side. He didn't seem to notice the awkwardness. What he did notice, however, were the dark circles under her eyes, illuminated by the moonlight.

"You haven't been sleeping," he accused.

A short laugh escaped her. "You're to blame for that," she countered. "I wasn't kidding when I said I keep dreaming about you."

He cracked a smile. There was the Beth he knew. Coming up with a slice of dry humor to hide her true feelings. It seemed like they weren't so different after all. Gently he wiped her tears away, all the while gauging her reaction. His fingers lingered for a moment, as if he were to engage further, but thought better of it and dropped his hand. What could he say to her? Perhaps this was enough for tonight. She had handled enough of him for one day.

"I think I should go," he said lamely. "I'll let you get some rest."

What happened next surprised him. Before he turned to go, she reached for his hand, holding on to it earnestly. He looked at her, confused.

"Stay," she pleaded. "I don't care what…or who you are and what this means, but please…just stay with me."

For a moment, he was unsure of what to do. He had come to her apartment with the feeling she would never want to see him again. He stood for the longest time on her balcony, watching her sleep. When she called out his name, it gave him hope. Maybe this could work. Maybe everything would be all right. Now, as he stood in her bedroom, she had chosen to trust him.

"Okay," he said, nodding.

That seemed to suffice, for her brow smoothed out, and she smiled softly. She released his hand as he came around the other side of the bed. Beth once again curled under the covers, soon feeling the bed lower under his weight. Her back to him, he scooted closer, clasping her hands within his own. She sighed. For the first time that day, wrapped in the arms of the one man she both loved and feared, she felt safe.

The End


End file.
